Amid space constraints and urban living conditions, residents here are starting to grow their own food by using technological solutions designed for small areas, ensuring their families have access to healthy meals.

The Hydroponics for Advanced Resilient and Viable Eco-Smart Technology program aims to address food insecurity by promoting sustainable and affordable food production in communities and schools.

“The city government’s hydroponics project, piloted in five barangays, has shown strong potential to boost the city’s food security,” City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) head Dr. Silardo Bested told the media here on Monday.

Bested noted that the vegetable yield from the community-based greenhouses in the villages of Slaughterhouse Compound, Imelda Marcos, Kabayanihan, Outlook Drive and Irisan Eco-Park had encouraging results in their pilot runs last year.

CVAO also recorded a harvest of 280 kilograms of lettuce, pechay (cabbage), kangkong (water spinach) and cucumber; and 22 kilograms of bok choy (Chinese cabbage) on Jan. 6.

Harvested produce benefited supplemental feeding programs for children and vulnerable families.

In addition to barangay-operated hydroponics greenhouses, the CVAO held 11 training sessions to promote urban gardening, focusing on pot-growing and vertical wall gardens.

“This fulfills the city’s commitment to promoting smart farming practices, optimizing limited resources and leveraging modern technology to ensure sustainable agricultural productivity,” Mayor Benjamin Magalong said in a statement. (PNA)